I originally made this after Odo brought me back a 'Ready Steady Cook' bag of random ingredients. It's so tasty, I feel like sharing.

Ingredients (Serves 2)

• 1 bunch spring onions
• 5 cloves garlic
• 6 dried birds-eye chillies, or 4 fresh
• 2tsp coriander seeds
• 1tsp szechuan pepper
• 1tsp fennel seeds
• 1/2 inch cinnamon stick
• 3 cloves
• 1 star anise
• 1 heaped dessertspoon sugar
• Juice and rind of 1 lemon
• 2 pork loin steaks
• 1 white onion
• Crusty bread
• 1 handful fresh coriander leaves
• 1 tub créme fraiche

Method

1. Finely chop the spring onions and four cloves of the garlic. Put them in a blender.
2. Finely crush the chillies and all the spices in a pestle and mortar. Add them to the blender with the sugar, lemon juice and lemon rind and blitz until you have a smooth paste.
3. Score the pork steaks on both sides, criss-crossing with a sharp knife. Cut slashes into the fat down to the meat. Add the blitzed marinade to the pork, rub in well, cover and leave in the fridge for at least 5 hours.
4. Finely chop the coriander and the remaining garlic clove and mix with the créme fraiche. Set aside.
5. When you are ready to cook: retaining as much of the marinade as you can, transfer the pork steaks to a very hot grill or BBQ. Grill for about 8 minutes on each side, until the surfaces turn black and crispy.
6. When you turn the steaks, start to fry the finely-chopped white onion in a little oil, until it starts to brown.
7. Cut four slices of crusty bread per person. Butter two, and spread the other two thickly with the créme fraiche. Layer the sandwiches with the finely-sliced pork and the fried onions.

Variations

The marinade can be used with chicken or king prawns equally well. Why not use tortilla wraps instead of bread, or just eat the meat whole with fried rice?

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